Lyon: Why TCL Regulators are on Strike?

SOCIAL MOVEMENT: They begin an indefinite strike in Lyon as of Monday …

The regulators, responsible for monitoring and controlling the network of subways in Lyon, begin Monday an indefinite strike.

Their claims are primarily technical.

The movement could get bogged down as Keolis management believes it has proposed “significant progress”

The strike was announced for October 22nd before being suddenly suspended. This time, the regulators of the TCL network put their threats into effect, starting from Monday, November 12, an indefinite strike . Every day, the disturbances will be different on the network, be it the morning, the afternoon or the night. The opportunity to return to the reasons for this movement.

Who are the regulators? Like pilots in charge of an airplane, the regulators are in charge of monitoring the metro network in Lyon, to regulate the frequency of trains, to give orders and to intervene in the event of an incident. They intervene for problems of various nature: assault in a train, malaise, suspicion of parcel bomb, disorder on the docks or technical problem.

What are their claims? “We do not ask for money,” announces Christian Schwetzoff of the Ugict-Cgt union , the only one to have filed a strike notice. The frustration of the regulators is linked to a single technical factor: the number of agents deployed in the cabins to monitor the network.

Currently, nine agents are posted on the metro line D: three in the morning, as much in the afternoon and evening. The lines A and B, which are pooled, count between them, two or three depending on the slots. Finally, a regulator is deployed on line C in the morning, afternoon and evening. The main source of contention concerns line A.

Keolis , which manages the Lyons public transport network, proposed to reduce the number of regulators on this line and to keep one during periods of less activity. The union claims two permanently.

“Management believes that it is not always necessary to have as many regulators throughout the day. But the morning user has the right to have the same security as the one who takes the subway at night, holidays or during holiday periods, “says Christian Schwetzoff. He added: “Human resources must be constant in order to solve all the incidents on the metro, whether they occur on the platforms or in the trains, whether it concerns aggression or technical problems”.

What does the management answer? For its part, Keolis ruled “this incomprehensible strike movement”. “After several working groups, and after a detailed technical analysis of staffing requirements, it was decided that a reinforcement of staff would be put in place,” the company said in a statement. And to detail: “We decided to go from 4 to 5 regulators in rush hour and from 3 to 4 at night”.

How long will the strike last? “It is likely to last,” says Christian Schwetzoff, noting that notice will be filed for all days this week. “We have not managed to get along and we are still in a relationship of power. We do not compromise with security. We will continue until the negotiations have resumed, “concludes the union representative.